A Drink Before the War

By: Dennis Lehane

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

With novels like Mystic River and Shutter Island, Dennis Lehane has dramatically altered the landscape of the crime thriller—while boldly overstepping the boundaries that have long separated mystery from literature. Now two of his sensational early novels have been combined in a single volume—two gritty and mesmerizing masterworks of suspense featuring the private eye duo of Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro—brilliantly showcasing the unique voice and dark, exhilarating vision of a crime fiction phenomenon.

©1994 Dennis Lehane (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

Couldn't put it down.

I never write reviews but thought this one deserved the effort. Fabulous story line, even better narration, Really captured the character's unique and amusing sarcasm. I literally listened to this in a day......Dennis Lehane is a go to author. Just downloaded another. Excellent. You won't be disappointed.

The narrator kept my attention

I am not sure if the book was good or the narration? Usually I fall sleep but this kept me interested and awake.

A well-written story from a very good author

A Drink Before the War (Kenzie & Gennaro, #1), my third read from author Dennis Lehane, an author I'd wanted to read since acquiring this book back in July of 2013 yet never getting around to it until now. Outstanding detective fiction, well-written with characters & a plot you can buy into with unexpected twists & turns. I look forward to reading Darkness, Take My Hand (Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro Book 2). “I purchased an Audible copy of this book in 2016 and am voluntarily leaving a review." (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

Good, not great, but worth your time.

Where does A Drink Before the War rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top third.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

No. There is too much repetition. The book has many things to recommend it but it's not all that suspenseful. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to Dennis Lehane, but now I think I know. Mystic River was an amazing start, the movie truly one of the best I saw in the last century. The Kenzie-Gennaro partnership is good. Witty, plenty of sexual tension (which you know will never be resolved), but the other characters tend to be one-dimensional and kind of cartoonish within this genre. There's way too much of Patrick's macho swagger with the other tough guys. This is the kind of book that Elmore Leonard would cut down to about 100 pages; although, in truth, he would never write it. Too much padding. A very good sense of Boston, though. The same neighborhoods that Spenser hangs out in. Spenser, though, is terse where Lehane overwrites for no apparent reason other than to have as many pages as he can crank out, I am sorry to say.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to him before, although I can't remember specific books. He is great. He gives both Patrick and Angie very memorable voices. He actually is better than the material he is narrating, IMHO.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I am not really good at witty tag lines or eye-catching teases. I have much more fun casting actors for the roles. However, that was not the question.

Any additional comments?

I will definitely read more of the series, even though I have distinctly mixed feelings. Mr. Lehane can write up a storm, although he doesn't know when the storm should blow over. His sense of place is almost as good as James Lee Burke's, which is quite a compliment, I modestly say. There is a lot of wit here. The plot so far is actually the weakest aspect of the book. Kenzie and Gennaro are an interesting duo, and I would enjoy learning how they work as time goes on. Speaking of time, I hope these two do not get frozen in it. Some successful writers feel that their characters should never age. I dearly hope that Mr. Lehane does not fall into that trap. Mr. Lehane is no Thomas Perry, but he certainly write.

A drink please....Make it two.

Superb debut to this series. This is the first Lehane novel for me, but will not remain so. The depth of character, witty yet realistic dialogue, and storytelling that excels in every way have me downloading lehane novels en masse.

A treat

Jonathan Davis does Lehane's beautiful work justice! How all of Kenzie and Gennaro should be heard.

good book

this is a decent novel. the narrator was good but in my opinion the story dragged slighlty

Boston Noir

A complex tale, with great characterization, and dark and gritty setting. I'll definitely be reading more Lehane.

Fabulous Thriller.... 🌟🌟

I must first of all thank the wonderful Audible concierge Tech who spent so much of her time to assist me and turn me on to this brand-new author. wow is this book great or what. Patrick and Angela are a superb team with truly intelligent and humorous banter while facing horrific circumstances. even though it's nearly 30 years ago the putrid prejudices and political pandering are eloquently detailed by this masterful wordsmyth. the narration rates a ten for sure. the resolutions to the stories many plot lines left me totally satisfied. looking forward to the very next in the series for sure...!!! 👌

Lehane' greatest work

I love this series and listen to it about once a year. Good stuff.